Monday, July 25, 2011

Gardening 101

First let me say this ~ no matter how long you have food saved for you MUST be able to prepare a garden and grow food… You must create a sustainable life for your family.

I’m not saying you have to LOVE gardening. I’m not saying you must have a zillion seeds stocked and be “The Chef of Fresh” I’m not saying you need to keep bees, and be an expert on companion growing. I am saying this: You ~ MUST ~ be able to grow food in the event grocery stores are no more. If you have a green thumb, if you love gardening, and if you have a zillion seeds ~ good for you!If not… keep reading.

All seeds are NOT created equal.Rather than give you a whole lesson on seeds. You need to know what you need to buy right?NON-GMO (Not Genetically Modified) Seeds.Why? Genetically modified seeds will not produce fruits/veggies with viable seeds for you to collect and use to replant the following year.

Your going to need a few gardening books there are lots of beginner books. When you choose seeds ~ be sure even if you aren’t going to plant them right away that you print out all the info possible on how to grow the plant and keep it with the seeds.

It’s sad to think of all the folks who don’t know what sunshine tastes like.You can taste sunshine when you pick veggies/fruits right off the tree/vine and take a bite.Sun warmed tomatoes sliced and served on bread with a little mayo (Miracle Whip) mmm yum.

We are investing in self fertile fruit trees, and other fruits that will come back year after year.Your landscape should be edible.You can have both a pretty to look at and productive landscape for your family.

What kinds of seeds are important? Stuff you'll eat! Well this what we currently have on hand in seed form:

Plant Variety

barley (grain)

beans Blue Lake Pole

beans Contender Bush

beans ~ MUNG for sprouting

beans ~ White Butter Lima

beet ~ Early Wonder

broccoli ~ Green Sprouting

cabbage ~ Copenhagen Market

carrot ~ Scarlet Nantes

corn ~ Lochelf

cucumber ~ Marketeer

cucumber ~ National Pickle

lettuce ~ Black seeded Simpson

lettuce ~ Butter crunch

lettuce ~ Oak Leaf

melon Cantaloupe

oats 16oz 2env Drummond

peas Oregon Sugar Pod

pumpkin ~ Sugar Pie

Radish ~ Cherry Belle

rye ~ Grain 8oz

spinach ~ Noble Giant

squash ~ Green Hubbard

Squash Waltham butternut

Squash ~ Yellow Crook Neck

Squash ~ Zucchini

Swiss Chard ~ Ford Hook

Tomato ~ Beefsteak

Tomato ~ Large Red Cherry

Turnips ~ purple top white globe

Watermelon ~ Sugar Baby

Wheat ~ Soft White

And here is another resource to consider, buy a field guide to identify and forage for food.Unless you are an EXPERT on mushrooms stay away from them in the wild. Never ever eat something if you don’t know what it is!